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Don't Fire Guns Into Air On New Year's Eve, St. Pete Police Ask

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TBO.com

Published: December 30, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - St. Petersburg, where New Year's Eve revelers have been known to fire guns into the air, is putting out a public service announcement this morning advising them not to do the same Wednesday night.

Last New Year's Eve, there were 16 incidents of stray bullets falling from the sky, and in two cases people were struck and wounded. One of the victims, David Mink, 24, of Clearwater, is featured in the PSA.

Neither shooting victim was seriously injured.

In essence, the St. Petersburg Police Department is asking that celebrants not use their weapons as party favors.

The PSA also addresses fireworks by asking partygoers to leave them to the professionals. If, however, partygoers feel the need to use fireworks themselves, they are asked to use common sense and follow basic safety recommendations, such as one advising that they be set off some distance from one's house.

The public service announcement was produced in April by both the department and St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue, in anticipation of Independence Day, another holiday where revelers are known to fire weapons into the air.

St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt said every television station has been given a copy of the 30-second PSA and has promised to run it at least once. In addition, the city's television station -- Channel 35 on broadcast, Channel 15 for Knology customers and Channel 615 for Brighthouse Networks customers -- is running the announcement, said Jennifer Dawkins, a spokeswoman for the department.

"St. Petersburg Police want everyone to understand that if someone shoots a bullet into the air, it has the potential to cause serious injuries on its way down," according to a prepared statement issued by the police department.

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